In building construction, generally parallel structural members such as joists in floors and ceilings, studs in walls, and rafters in roofs carry and transmit loads by spanning between support structures. These structural members are sometimes required to be laterally braced against each other by a stiffening and stabilizing member. Indeed, most local building codes require that in wood construction such structural members having depth-to-thickness ratios of 6:1 or greater must have lateral bracing installed at specified minimum intervals along the span of the structural members.
A typical method of bracing such structural members employs so-called “X-bridging.” Here, structural members, for example floor joists, are placed in position and anchored to the underlying structure. Laterally-applied wooden slats are nailed to the opposing surfaces of the structural members and angled such that a slat will connect between the top edge of one structural member of a pair and the bottom edge of the succeeding one and an immediately adjacent slat will connect between the bottom edge of the first structural member and the top edge of the succeeding member thereby creating an “X” structure between them. “X-bridging” made of metal is also used. Installing either wooden or metal “X-bridging” typically requires applying fasteners by workers from above, in the case of joists for example, and from below the floor. This procedure normally requires installing the “X-bridging in one stage and completing the installing in a second stage which is often inadvertently overlooked. The spaces between the slats in the “X” configuration permit passing utilities such as plumbing and wiring between the structural members.
Another common method of bracing employs cutting and laterally placing a block or member between a pair of structural members. This method is sometimes referred to as “blocking”. This method likewise typically requires fastening actions by workers located above and below, in the case of floors for example. Moreover, openings must subsequently be made in the blocking to permit passage of utilities such as plumbing and wiring where required.